Adjustable tooth brush



June 12, 1956 M. KRUEGER 2,749,567

ADJUSTABLE TOOTH BRUSH Filed Aug. 7, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

MAX KRUEGER & BY 5% m ATTORNEY United States Patent" ADJUSTABLE TOOTH BRUSH Max Krueger, Newark, N. J.

Application August 7, 1951, Serial No. 240,623

13 Claims. (Cl. 15-172) This invention relates to tooth brushes and particularly to tooth brushes having adjustable brush heads to permit variable positioning of the brush or other element mounted thereon.

Adjustable brush heads have been used on various types of brushes and have been suggested for tooth brushes. Difiiculties in use however have arisen in prior art structures due to the fact that brush heads if readily adjustable could be rigidly retained in adjusted position, and if rigidly retainable in position were not readily adjustable. In part at least these difiiculties arose from the fact that in such structures any force applied at the brush end was magnified several fold at the manually operated end of the brush to which such force was transmitted, making it virtually impossible to control the manual operation.

Among the objects of the present invention is the production of a tooth brush or analogous structure which is readily manipulable in any desired position of the brush or other element.

Other objects include an economical brush structure which will maintain itself in any set position.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only, and not by way of limitation since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In connection with that more detailed description there is shown in the accompanying drawing, in

Figure 1, an elevation of a brush embodying the present invention; in

Figure 2, a transverse longitudinal section showing the mechanism in normal relaxed position; in

Figure 3, a similar section in locked position; and in Figure 4, sectional detail of the locking mechanism.

In accordance with the present invention, a tooth brush or analogous structure is provided which enables a variable angular position of the brush element to be readily set and positively maintained during operative manipulation of the brush until a change in position is desired. The invention will be described as applied to a tooth brush, but it is equally applicable to any type of oral manipulative element such as a gum exhilarator. Consequently although described or claimed with respect to a brush it will be understood that such explanation is not limiting. In fact some of the mechanical linkages and arrangements disclosed herein are useful in many other ice associations and are not to be unduly limited in such utilizations.

In general, the present invention utilizes a structure in Which a handle constituted by a casing is provided within which a rod is adapted to reciprocate, the rod carrying a stern which extends outside of the casing as at one end thereof on which external end a brush is provided. Means are provided within the casing to cause reciprocation of the rod to release and the brush so that it may be positioned at a desired angle, and to lock the brush in such adjusted position, a finger control element outside of the casing being used to operate the reciprocating means.

Referring to the drawings, the hollow handle portion 1 of substantially cylindrical contour has an enlarged end portion 2 which houses the finger control elements, while the opposite end of the handle has a partly spherical knob 3 which serves as a seat for a closure and within which brush positioning elements are placed.

At the enlarged end 2 of the handle the internal passage 4 houses the finger control mechanism. A longitudinally reciprocable rod 5 within the central portion 6 of the handle engages at its lower end '7 against a laterally movable plug or block 8, the passage 4 having a width to permit such lateral movement of the plug 8. A lever 9 having a cam-shaped end 10 which latter engages against the plug 8 and a groove 11 may be provided within which the cam-shaped end 11 may ride in the plug 8. The lever 9 is pivoted as on pin or shaft 12 which shaft 12 may be held in position in the enlarged end 2 of handle 1. The end 13 of lever 9 opposite to the camshaped end ltl, engages against the inner end 14 of finger-operated button 15 which latter extends through an opening 16 in the enlarged end 2 of the casing 1 exteriorly thereof to provide the finger contact portion 17. A leaf spring 18 carried on pin 12 has one end 19 impinging against the inner wall of the passage 4 while the other end 20 presses against the outer end 21 of the lever 9 so that normally the spring 18 maintains the parts in the relaxed position shown in Figure 2. The passage 4 may be closed by a threaded closure 22. For ease of assembly if desired, elements 8, 9, and 19 may be assembled within a sleeve of a diameter to fit the passage 4, the pin or shaft 12 being held on the sleeve so that these elements constitute a unit that may be slipped into position in the passage 4.

The opposite end 23 of rod 5 has a laterally movable ball socket element 24 slidable thereon having a ball socket for reception of the ball element 25 carried on the brush stem 28 on which brush 29 may be removably mounted so that any other type of element such as a gum manipulator may be placed. A hemispherical cup member 26 which engages against the inner surface of the knob 3 of the handle which thereby forms a seat for cup member 26 so that pressure against the end 7 of rod 5 will be transmitted through ball socket element 24 to cup member 26 to force the latter against its seat to lock the elements in position. Cup member 26 has a tubular extension 40 by which it is placed on stem 28, the latter having a seat 27 against which the cup member 26 is forced as described below.

A sleeve 36 adapted to slide on brush stem 28 is offset and enlarged at 37 to provide a chamber for reception of a spring39, and below 37 is enlarged to provide a closure or cap 41 for the knob end 3 of the handle 1. A

bushing 35 of a diameter to receive the stem 28 is carried on brush 29, the exposed end of bushing 35 having serrations 38 adapted to engage serrations 30 on the end of sleeve 36. The bushing 35 is internally threaded to engage the threaded end of stem 28 so that brush 29 may be placed on stem 28 and held in position. For this purpose sleeve 36 may be depressed by pressure against spring 39 to separate the serrations 30 and 38. Spring 39 surrounds stem 28 and seats at one end against the inner wall of sleeve 36 and against tubular extension 40 at the other. A groove 42 in stem 28 cooperates with finger 43 struck inwardly from sleeve 36 to insure linear movement of sleeve 36.

By this arrangement, the sleeve 36 may be pressed against the spring 39 to separate members 35 and 36 so that brush 29 or other element may be positioned as desired, by rotation of the brush and associated parts. Upon positioning to the desired point, and release of member 36, the rotational position of the brush will be retained. The brush 29 may be moved about in the ball socket as desired and the button then pressed by a finger to lock the parts in set position.

Adjustment of position of the brush may thus be readily made as desired and any set position maintained because finger pressure on button 15 locks the parts in position; without interference from back pressure transmitted from the brush in contact with the teeth since such back pressure merely moves element 13 of the lever along the face 14 of the button 15 and when the axis of the latter is at 90 with respect to the axis of the rod 5, there is no component of such back pressure operating in the axial direction of button 15.

Having thus set forth my invention, I claim:

1. A tooth brush comprising an elongated casing, a rod within the casing adapted to reciprocate longitudinally therein, a stem extending through one end of the casing and movably attached to the rod to assume a variable angular position with respect thereto, a brush rigidly mounted on the outer end of the stem to assume a variable angular position with respect to said rod, a lever within the casing having a cam shaped end engaging against the rod to cause the rod to reciprocate, movement in one direction serving to force the stem against the casing to lock the stem and brush in a set position, and a button extending through the casing to the outside thereof and engaging internally of the casing against said lever for actuating the latter by straight line motion.

2. A tooth brush as set forth in claim 1 in which the lever is spring pressed into engagement with said button.

3. A tooth brush as set forth in claim 2 in which a laterally movable plug is placed between the rod and the cam-shaped end of the lever, the button engaging freely against the other end of the lever at a 90 angle to the axis of the rod, whereby force applied to the button is transmitted to the rod, but pressure from the brush is not transmitted back to the button.

4. A tooth brush as set forth in claim 1 in which a laterally movable plug is placed between the rod and the cam-shaped end of the lever, the button engaging freely against the other end of the lever at a 90 angle to the axis of the rod, whereby force applied to the button is transmitted to the rod, but pressure from the brush is not transmitted back to the button.

5. In a tooth brush structure, a handle, a rod movable thereon, a lever carried on the handle said lever having a cam-shaped end engaging against the rod to cause the latter to move on the handle, a button on the handle said button engaging freely against the other end of the lever at an angle to the axis of the rod, the button and end of the lever in contact with the button being slidingly movable with respect to each other whereby force applied to the button is transmitted to the rod, but pressure from the rod is not transmitted back to the button.

6. In a tooth brush structure having a handle and a movable element thereon, a lever carried on the handle said lever having a cam-shaped end engaging against the element to cause the latter to move on the handle, a button on the handle said button engaging freely against the other end of the lever at an angle to the axis of the element, the button and end of the lever in contact with the button being slidingly movable with respect to each other whereby force applied to the button is transmitted to the element, but pressure from the element is not transmitted back to the button.

7. A tooth brush as set forth in claim 1 in which a sleeve surrounds the stem, the end of the stem having a ball element, a ball socket member positioned between said ball element and the rod said member being movable laterally on the end of the rod, a cup shaped member mounted on the stem, the end of the casing having a seat for reception of said cup shaped member whereby pressure against said ball socket member forces the cup shaped member against said seat to lock the parts against movement.

8. In a tooth brush structure, a handle, a rod carried on said handle and reciprocable thereon, a stem carried on said handle, and movably associated with the rod, the end of the stem having a ball element, a ball socket member positioned between said ball element and the rod, said member being movable laterally on the end of the rod, a cup shaped member mounted on the stem, the end of the handle having a seat for reception of said cup shaped member whereby pressure against said ball socket member forces the cup shaped member against said seat to lock the parts against movement.

9. A tooth brush structure as set forth in claim 8 in which said stem carries a brush and a sleeve is provided adapted to slide on said stem, said sleeve having an off set portion forming a seat against which a spring may engage, an extension on said cup shaped member against which the other end of said spring may engage, a coil spring surrounding said stern and seated between said sleeve and said extension, the brush carrying a bushing and the bushing and sleeve being in end-to-end engagement, and engaging ends of the bushing and sleeve being serrated for engagement, the two portions being separable by compression of the coil spring to permit adjustment of the position of the brush.

10. A tooth brush as set forth in claim 9 in which a lever is carried on the handle said lever having a camshaped end engaging against the rod to cause the latter to move on the handle, a button on the handle said button engaging freely against the other end of the lever at an angle to the axis of the rod whereby force applied to the button is transmitted to the rod, but pressure from the rod is not transmitted back to the button.

11. A tooth brush structure as set forth in claim 9 having a casing, a lever within the casing provided with a cam-shaped end, a laterally movable plug between the cam-shaped end of said lever and the rod, and a button extending through the casing to the outside thereof, the inner end of the button engaging freely against the other end of the lever at an angle to the axis of the rod, whereby force applied to the button is transmitted to the rod but pressure from the rod is not transmitted back to the button.

12. In a tooth brush structure, a handle, a brush stern carried on said handle, a sleeve carried on said handle and surrounding said stem, a bushing on said brush the bushing and sleeve being in end-to-end engagement, the engaging ends of the said portions being serrated for engagement and a coil spring surrounding said stem to hold said sleeve and bushing normally in end-to-end contact.

13. In a tooth brush structure, a handle, a rod movable thereon, a lever carried on the handle, said lever having a cam-shaped end engaging against the rod to cause the latter to move on the handle, a button on the handle said button engaging freely against the other end of the lever at an angle to the axis of the rod whereby force applied to the button is transmitted to the rod, and pressure from the rod is not transmitted back to the button, a stem carried on said handle and movably associated with the rod, the end of the stem having a ball element, a ball socket member positioned between said ball element and the rod, said member being movable laterally on the end of the rod, a cup shaped member mounted on the stem, the end of the handle having a seat for reception of said cup shaped member whereby pressure against said ball socket member forces the cup shaped member against said seat to lock the parts against movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Germany of 1931 

